Modi meet: NEET, AIADMK unification discussed

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday and discussed issues relating to the merger of two AIADMK factions+ - one led by him and another led by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami+.

Justifying its criticism of the BJP, Marudhu Azhaguraj, the editor of Dr. Namadhu MGR, said, "We can not afford to remain silent as we deem that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is directly involved in splitting the AIADMK into one more faction [supporting T.T.V. Dhinakaran]".

The meeting took place on a day when when AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary T T V Dinakaran, who leads a third faction in the party, is set to hold an MGR centenary function at Melur near Madurai.

The meeting with Modi went on for about 30 minutes. It may be recalled that EPS had met with Modi recently.

The paper also alleged that independent Central agencies including the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department had become pawns of the BJP, adding that the party was using them to settle scores with the opposition.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday had said the Centre would "cooperate" with the State Government to grant a one-time exemption from NEET-based admissions through the ordinance route.